The LA Clippers have already secured a postseason berth but are looking to improve their seeding, and their loss to the San Antonio Spurs — who were without Victor Wembanyama — on Thursday hurt those chances.
Six Spurs players scored in double figures, led by De’Aaron Fox, who finished with 22 points and eight assists, as they defeated the Clippers, who were paced by Kawhi Leonard with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The win marked the Spurs’ 11th consecutive victory, while the Clippers dropped their second straight game after previously winning five in a row.
San Antonio built a 26-point lead in the first half, but the Clippers responded in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 34-19 to cut the deficit to 87-78 entering the fourth.
However, the Spurs regained control, outscoring the Clippers by 10 in the final period to secure the win.
LA Clippers Playoff Picture: Updated Standings
The loss dropped the Clippers to 39-38, placing them ninth in the Western Conference. Realistically, they could still climb to No. 7, currently held by the Phoenix Suns, who are three games ahead at 42-35.
The Clippers are trying to move out of the No. 9-10 range, which would place them in the first play-in game, where the loser is eliminated from postseason contention. As it stands, their No. 9 position would have them host the No. 10 seed, currently the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers are also just half a game behind the No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers. The No. 8 seed faces the No. 7 seed on the road, with the loser then playing the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup for the final playoff spot.
LA Clippers Playoff Picture: Remaining Schedule
The Clippers have five games remaining, all against Western Conference opponents. They will take on the Sacramento Kings on Sunday and the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, both teams already eliminated from postseason contention.
On April 8, they will host the Oklahoma City Thunder, before traveling to Portland on April 10 to face the Trail Blazers in their final road game of the regular season — a matchup that could significantly impact play-in seeding.
They will close the regular season on April 12 against the Golden State Warriors in a game that could serve as a preview of the play-in tournament.
According to Tankathon, the Clippers have the 18th-toughest remaining schedule, while Portland faces the eighth-toughest slate.
